Makeup Mania's Makeup Artist Blog

With the 87th Annual Academy Awards right around the
corner, it’s an opportune time to reflect on the artists that make the cast
members look so fitting for their roles.
Through skill, hard work and dedication, the makeup artist magically transforms
actors and actresses into hobbits, pirates and frumpy nannies. Most of the characters created by the artists on this list could only exist in someone's imagination. That is, until the artist's creativity is unleashed onto their blank canvas: the actors' faces, bodies and hair. Here are the makeup artists who have won the coveted Academy Award the most times in history.

Most Academy Award Wins for Best Hair & Makeup

7. Richard Taylor (II Oscars)

When Peter Jackson took J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy novels to the big screen in the early 2000's, no detail was left untouched. The hair and makeup were no exceptions, and from Frodo to Bilbo, Galadriel to Legolas, these characters came to life thanks to the work of Richard Taylor and his team.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring ('01)

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King ('03)

6. Yolanda Toussieng (II Oscars)

Yolanda first came onto the Oscar scene when she transformed one of America's most beloved actors from a baseball loving funny guy into an elderly female nanny. Mrs. Doubtfire continues to be a fan favorite the world over, and the character makeup and hair is a huge part of that. She won again the following year for the biopic Ed Wood, which may have been a box office flop, but the star-studded cast made it a cult favorite.

Mrs. Doubtfire ('93)

Ed Wood ('94)

5. Michèle Burke (II Oscars)

Michèle Burke did a fantastic job in Quest for Fire, a film set 80,000 years ago wherein early humans struggled for the control of fire. It isn't easy to make such a period piece believable, but Burke did it and was recognized by the Academy for her work. She continued the period piece theme in 1992 with Bram Stoker's Dracula, which featured a timely cast including Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves.

Quest for Fire ('81)

Bram Stoker's Dracula ('92)

4. David LeRoy Anderson (II Oscars)

The Nutty Professor may have been a remake, but having Eddy Murphy play most of the characters was one of the first of its kind. When you start forgetting it's the same person, you really see David LeRoy Anderson's talent come through. Just a year later, he was acclaimed for his work on aliens and earthlings alike in the fan- and box-office-favorite, Men In Black.

The Nutty Professor ('96)

Men in Black ('97)

3. Ve Neill (III Oscars)

Director Tim Burton doesn't shy away from his hair and makeup budget. In fact, we'd venture to guess he has one of the bigger budgets in all of Hollywood. And we must thank him for it. His epic characters really come to life with the talent of artists like Ve Neill, a three-time Academy Award winner for Best Makeup & Hairstyling. We give thanks to this wonderful team for bringing us characters we could never even imagine. You can also catch Ve on Face Off on the SyFy Channel, where she has been a judge for several seasons.

Beetlejuice ('88)

Mrs. Doubtfire ('93)

Ed Wood ('94)

2. Greg Cannom (III Oscars)

The image of the beautiful Brad Pitt as both a baby and an old man are forever engrained in our minds, thanks to the stylings of Greg Cannom. Only such a talented artist could bring us poignant characters like these, as well as Mrs. Doubtfire, Dracula, and many more who have sprung to life on the big screen over the years.

Mrs. Doubtfire ('93)

Bram Stoker's Dracula ('92)

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button ('08)

1. Rick Baker (VII Oscars)

With seven Academy Awards, ten nominations and a smattering of other coveted recognitions, this man deserves a Lifetime Achievement Award! From family classics like Harry & The Hendersons, to modern treasures like The Wolfman, Rick Baker knows how to create characters that are at once interesting, believable, and make you forget you're watching a work of fiction. Notably, Baker also created the "werecat" creature Michael Jackson transforms into in his Thriller music video.

An American Werewolf in London ('82)

Harry and the Hendersons ('88)

Ed Wood ('95)

The Nutty Professor ('97)

Men in Black ('98)

How the Grinch Stole Christmas ('01)

The Wolfman ('11)

Makeup well done is timeless, as you can see. These movies span a few decades but are just as poignant as the day they were released, thanks to the characters created by the Hair and Makeup artists. Asked what
her favorite make-up job was and Hollywood make-up legend Ve Neill sites
The Bride of Frankenstein from
1935. Talented Professional Makeup Artists use the best supplies to produce what the camera wants to see.
Tune into this year’s Academy Awards and see the latest winner.

Whether you're striving to
be a makeup artist for big motion pictures, or you just want to use the stuff
the pro's use, it's always good to know what makeup artist carries with them at all times.
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